


Little Shoma

by claveriakat15



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Boy Love, Fluff, Gay Parents, M/M, yuzuvier - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-15
Updated: 2016-01-21
Packaged: 2018-05-06 22:09:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5432567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/claveriakat15/pseuds/claveriakat15
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>High school AU!<br/>Yuzuru Hanyu was a slightly above-average high school junior when his parents went abroad, leaving him to fend for himself. One day, he finds an abandoned little two year old boy named Shoma, who he decides to care for. But when his classmate Javier finds out that Yuzuru lived alone and with a "son", Yuzuru decides to drag Javier into the job of taking care of Shoma with him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Whose Baby is This?

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! So I'm currently quite obsessed with Shoma and I really love his interactions with Yuzu, so I thought why not make something out of it? Also, this might be a multi-chapter thing! Enjoy :)

"What do you mean you're leaving?" Yuzu cried out.

It was early in the morning, and Yuzu was still in a loose blue and white t-shirt and boxer shorts, rubbing his eyes at the bright light in the living room. He had woken up to sounds of plastic wrinkling and the wheels of bags rolling on the tiled floor, and was surprised to see his mom and dad surrounded by large stroller bags, all dressed up. 

"The company gave us an all-expense paid trip for two across Europe! Won't that be exciting?" his mother gaily said. 

"Yeah, but for six months? And why didn't anyone tell me?" Yuzu protested. 

"We planned to tell you, but you know how busy we are. Oh well, we know you'd want to stay here anyway to focus on your studies," his father replied to him. 

"But what am I supposed to do here on my own? I can't even cook eggs without burning the yolk!" Yuzuru continued on, the thought of living alone for six months starting to dawn on him. 

"Oh come on, Yuzu; you're sixteen! I'm sure you'll be able to order take out," his mother said as she zipped up the last of the bags. Yuzu couldn't even imagine why they'd need that much bags just for the two of them. 

"If you need any help in paying bills, I left my credit card there and took note of a website with a step-by-step process on paying bills. And if you need anything else just ask Mr. Yokoshima across the road," his dad said nonchalantly as he began to put bags into the family car. 

"But Mr. Yokoshima is bed-ridden! I hope you know that he's been sick for months now!" Yuzu reminded them. 

His dad looked surprise and turned to his mother. "Is he really?" he asked in a low tone. His mother nodded. "Yes, heard it was a really bad flu and the chicken pox. Remember when Yuzu got chicken pox? He couldn't have been older than eight then. He was all red--"

"Oh my god, mom! Are you reminiscing now? Don't you see you're leaving me behind?" Yuzu interjected. 

His parents looked at one another and shrugged in unison. "You're a smart boy. You got an A in Home Economics, right? So you'll survive. But no girls, ok? All details for my bank account are in the drawer. Take care!" his father said.

And a few minutes later, Yuzu could only watch as the family car left. 

By that time it was already six in the morning, and it was a Monday. What a way to start the week, Yuzu sullenly thought. He opened the fridge and found it nearly empty, except for a bottle of mustard and a dozen eggs. Grimacing, Yuzu closed the refrigerator door. Even his parents took all the food. 

He quickly dressed for school and passed by the local Family Mart (what an irony at that point, he could not help but think) to buy a bento box. He came to school an hour early, and immediately went to his desk to do some advanced reading for the day's lessons. 

It was true that Yuzu got an A in Home Economics; in fact he got an A in almost everything, except for English. He was quiet in class, and every time there was a hard lesson in math class everyone would flock to him and ask questions. And when they were done he was by his lonesome again. He wasn't popular with the girls, and was not invited to any parties by the 'popular people' in the school. He knew everyone thought he was a nerd. And now, he's a nerd living alone for six months. 

Ten minutes into reading up on tangent angles he heard squealing from outside the classroom. He looked up and saw four girls surrounding a familiar figure. He heard a laugh, and he immediately knew who it was. 

It was Javier Fernandez, the popular exchange student from Spain. Who else would have a laugh like that in school?

Javier, or Javi as he liked to be called, had been popular with the girls and the teachers since Day 1. He was always making jokes and being silly when classes were dull. He was invited to parties all the time and even the parents adored him, as he liked to dance and do stand-up comedy during PTA meetings. He was friends with everyone in school. 

Well, almost everyone. 

Yuzu didn't really know why himself, but he distanced himself from Javi. Maybe it was the overly cheerful aura that Javi omitted; maybe that was why Yuzu couldn't really stand befriending him. Javi wasn't a bad guy, but Yuzu found him too loud and obnoxious. 

That, and the fact that every girl in school liked him. 

When Yuzu looked up at Javi, Javi's eyes glanced at the classroom where Yuzu was in. And for a second, their eyes met. 

Yuzu had seen Javi countless times on the hallways, but this was the first time they made eye contact. 

And it was strangely...electrifying.

Yuzu felt the hairs on his arms rise suddenly. Realizing the strange feeling he was getting, he looked down and stared at his book. Javi turned away and continued talking to the girls. 

It's just because he's popular, that's all, Yuzu told himself. Maybe you're a little starstruck, but that's it. 

The bell rang, and the girls waved goodbye to Javi. Javi glanced one last time inside the classroom, but saw that Yuzu was reading. He quickly turned away and left, a small smile on his face. 

 

The rain began by noon. The sky had been darkening before that, and eventually the torrent of rain fell. School was dismissed early, and everyone left to go out to malls or just to take a long hot bath at home. Yuzu walked home with his black umbrella, hands in his pockets. His Winnie the Pooh bear keychain bounced up and down against his slightly drenched backpack. 

Yuzu was still thinking about the strange feeling he got with Javi's glance when he heard a strange, high pitched noise. It sounded much like a cry. At first Yuzu thought it was a cat. He stopped in his tracks and listened closely. He was next to a dark alleyway with a big blue garbage can. He then heard the sound again from behind the garbage can. He almost told himself that it was surely a cat when he realized he understood what that cry was. 

"Mama!" that cry kept going. "Mama! Mama!"

Yuzu's heart skipped a beat. Without thinking twice, he rushed to look behind the garbage can. Next to it in a dirty yellow shirt and blue shorts was a very, very small boy, looking up at him with wide eyes and tear-streaked cheeks. 

Yuzu gasped. An abandoned little kid!

The little boy looked at him for a second before erupting into tears again, his little face wrinkling up. "Mama! I want Mama!" he kept crying. Yuzu could not stand the cry, but he did not know what to do. He put a finger to his lips. "Shh! Shh, little kid!" he tried coaxing. But it only made the cries even louder, until it took Yuzu all he had to completely cover his ears and scream back. 

Yuzu looked down at the kid. He was already screaming his head off, and he could see people were looking towards him. There was only one thing to do. 

Yuzu picked the little boy up and cradled him. He was so light and warm in his arms. The boy's cries decreased in volume, and he pushed his little face against Yuzu's chest. 

Yuzu felt incredibly warm at that moment. It was as if holding the little boy was a thick blanket and a hot chocolate rolled into one. He couldn't help but hug the little boy close. 

"I'll be your mama, so stop crying, ok?" he whispered to the little boy, bouncing him up and down slightly like he saw in the movies. The baby grew quiet, and in a minute, was fast asleep. 

It was only then that Yuzu saw the paper on the ground where the little boy was. He picked it up. It read:

'To whoever reads this:

Please take care of my son, Shoma. I could not care for him anymore and I want him to grow up happy. He likes the color blue and he is a good boy.'

And that was it. Yuzu couldn't help but feel slight resentment towards the parent. No matter the problems in raising a child, why would they think that leaving a little boy next to a garbage can on a really cold, rainy day be a good idea? 

But he could not do anything now; Shoma was already attached to him, his face nuzzled against Yuzu's neck, his jet black hair tickling Yuzu's chin. 

"I'm going to take care of you," he whispered to the little boy, patting his back. The problems and challenges of raising a toddler was miniscule to Yuzu at that moment. For now, he could only think of how warm the little Shoma was to him.


	2. Shoma is Our Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuzu experiences having to take care for two-year-old Shoma for the first time. Realizing that he could not leave Shoma alone when he goes to school, Yuzu misses classes for two days to take care of him. Javier gets instructed by the class president Mao Asada to check up on Yuzu and give him his missed homeworks. Unknowingly, Javi walks in on Yuzu feeding Shoma, and finds out his secret.

Yuzu immediately walked home, moving as fast as he could (considering he had a toddler in his arms). When he entered the house, the whole place was quiet and dim. The rain lessened to a drizzle, and the pitter-patter of the rain on the earth echoed around the house. Yuzu felt a slight pang of loneliness as he remembered how he'd have to spend the night without his parents, but his train of thought was interrupted by the slight shivering he felt against his chest. Shoma was cold! The little boy still had his eyes clothes, but his tiny teeth chattered and his hands were formed to fists. Yuzu dropped his bag and ran to the bathroom, immediately filling the tub halfway through with hot water. 

In all honesty, Yuzu had little to zero experience with taking care of little kids. He had cousins, but his relatives took care of them, not him. He didn't know how to make milk for the baby, and he didn't even know what two year olds should or should not eat. These thoughts filled Yuzu's mind instantly, and he could not help but worry. As soon as the tub was half way filled he took Shoma's dirty clothes off and put him into the tub as gently as possible. When Yuzu's hand touched the water he almost recoiled; the water was really hot. But surprisingly, Shoma didn't seem to mind too much. He just expectantly looked up at Yuzu, his cheeks slowly turning red. 

Trying to remember everything he saw parents do on TV, he scooped up some water and slowly poured it over Shoma's head. The little boy spluttered slightly, and Yuzu quickly wiped the water away from Shoma's eyes and mouth. He poured more water on his shoulders and massaged his little hands. All the while, he tried to talk to Shoma. "I'm going to get you all nice and clean, and then you're going to fall fast asleep," he was telling him in a soothing voice. shoma looked around him, wiggled his toes a bit, then looked up at Yuzu again. Yuzu could not help but smile. Shoma's cheeks were so red, that he reminded Yuzu of an egg slowly being boiled in hot water. 

After a few minutes Yuzu took Shoma out of the water and made him stand up. He wiped the water off Shoma's hair and body with a small white towel, all the while wondering if there were any small clothes that Shoma could wear. As Yuzu dried him off Shoma yawned and rubbed his eyes. He then patted his belly and looked at Yuzu. "Hungry," he said in his small voice. 

"Milk?" Yuzu asked. Shoma nodded enthusiastically. Yuzu wrapped Shoma up with the towel and carried him again, silently praying that there was milk in the cabinet. He quickly went through every cabinet and drawer in the kitchen until he eventually found a carton of soy milk. He looked at the carton, then looked at Shoma. "You wouldn't mind some soy milk, would you?" he asked. "I like milk," was all that Shoma said, and he had a small, contented little smile on his little face. Yuzu smiled back. 

Yuzu opened the carton and poured in some milk into a glass. He sat down and with Shoma on his lap, brought the glass to Shoma's lips. Shoma took a sip, and a frown filled his face. "Bleugh!" he cried out. 

Yuzu was surprised. He put the milk down. "So you don't want that one?" he asked. Shoma shook his head. "That's the only milk I have right now. What milk do you want?" Yuzu asked. Shoma turned to look at him, a sad look in his eyes. "Mama," he said. 

Yuzu found himself turning warm. "Sorry, but I can't give you THAT kind of milk!" he exclaimed, feeling embarrassed. Shoma started to sniff, and tears were forming in his eyes. "Mama! I want my mama!" he started crying. 

Yuzu tried to calm him down. "Shh! Shh, stop crying, Shoma!" he said to him, but that only made Shoma cry even louder. The rain began to gain strength again and thunder echoed in the sky. Yuzu bit his lip, wondering what to do next. He quickly stood up and went to the door, hastily putting his shoes back on. "We're going to buy some milk for you, okay? So please stop crying!" he said, trying to raise his voice above the thunder and rain. Shoma stopped wailing, but he continued to cry and whine. 

Yuzu, balancing a toddler wrapped in a towel with one arm and an umbrella on the other, walked into the nearest convenience store. He walked right up to the cashier and, ignoring the cashier staring at Shoma, breathlessly asked "Do you have any milk alternatives to breast milk? Please?"

The cashier, a twenty-something pleasant looking young woman, was surprised at the question. "W-well, we do have some milk supplements and powdered milk on the third aisle," she replied. "May I ask, how old is your baby?"

In the back of his head Yuzu wanted to reply that Shoma wasn't his baby, but his mouth seemed to have taken full control. "He's two years old, and he's very hungry" he replied. "And I'm afraid I don't have enough clothes for him," he added shyly. 

The cashier nodded. "I can help you find the right milk for your baby," she said. "And we have a clothing drive right now, so maybe I can give you some of the donated clothes."

Yuzu could have jumped for joy. "Oh, thank you so much!" he cried out. "But may I ask for just one last thing?"

"What is it?" she asked. 

Yuzu bit his lip before replying. "Can you promise that if anyone from my school goes here, that you will not tell them that I've been here with Shoma?"

"That is his name?"

Yuzu nodded. The little boy turned his head slightly at the sound of his name being mentioned, but he remained quiet. 

The cashier looked at Shoma and smiled. "He seems like a good little boy," she said. She turned to Yuzu and nodded. "Alright, I won't tell anyone."

 

That night, Shoma lay next to Yuzu. All the lights were off except for Yuzu's night lamp. Yuzu lay on his side, Shoma's little head not far away. He watched as Shoma, now wearing a white cotton shirt and clean blue pants, tried to get into a comfortable sleeping position. Eventually, Shoma stopped moving and stared at the ceiling, as if waiting for something to happen. 

Yuzu smiled. "Can't sleep?" he asked. 

Shoma turned to face Yuzu, and the light against his hair made it seem like there was a halo around his head. Yuzu gently pulled him closer until Shoma was against his chest again. Shoma looked up at him. 

"Do you listen to stories?" Yuzu continued, his voice softer this time. 

Shoma remained quiet, but still looked at him. Yuzu leaned over and snuggled him, resting Shoma's face against his own. The little boy was incredibely warm. 

"Alright, I will tell you a story. Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Shoma. He liked to go on adventures and he liked to explore. Sometimes his mama and papa got angry because Shoma would wander off in search of an adventure, but Shoma continued anyway. One day, he was walking around when he saw a tall tower. There was a princess inside! Shoma then said, 'I will rescue you!' but the princess replied, 'I do not need rescuing! Just buy me some milk! I'm very thirsty!' Shoma was surprised. What a strange princess!"

Yuzu paused and look at Shoma. His eyelids were starting to flutter and his breathing was steady. Yuzu decided to continue on with the story. 

"And so, Shoma decided that though she was a strange princess, it was still a quest. He went to buy milk, and bought the first milk carton he saw on the shelf. Shoma wrinkled his nose; it was soy milk! He didn't like that, but maybe the princess did. So he went back and climbed the tower and gave the milk to the princess. When the princess saw what Shoma had, she was very happy. 'How did you know I love soy milk?' she said happily. She then went down the castle with Shoma and they got married. The End."

Shoma was fast asleep, and Yuzu began to feel his eyes growing heavy. He put a protective arm around Shoma and fell asleep with Shoma's hair tickling his chin. 

 

It was past midnight when Yuzu woke with a start. It was only then that he realized that it was still a school week, and he could not leave Shoma alone. 

But what could he do? He'd miss so much lessons, and he knew he couldn't miss school forever. But who could take care of Shoma while he's gone? There weren't any nearby day cares. And he couldn't let the neighbors know that he was taking care of a child. 

Yuzu sighed and rested his head on the pillow. He'd have to miss school then, until he found someone to care for Shoma. 

The last thing he thought of was what Javi would think of this situation.

 

Two days later, teachers began to ask where Yuzu was. Javi was only classmates with Yuzu in three subjects, but he often found his eyes wandering to the empty chair to his left. Yuzu always recited in class, but now that he was gone, the silence was more profound. 

Javi didn't know Yuzu so well, but he was interested in him. Javi knew everyone at school, and everyone wanted to spend time with him, but not Yuzu. He was often just keeping to himself, and when they spoke to one another, it was just to remind Javi to pass the test papers forward. He found himself wondering if Yuzu was sick and if he would get better soon.

Javi did not see that kind of thinking as anything out of the ordinary, however. As a naturally friendly person, Javi cared for everyone's well being. 

And so, he did not really think of Yuzu as someone special; instead, he was privately intent on becoming his friend. 

When the recess bell rang, Javi stood to buy some food when the class president, Mao, stood before his table. "Good morning, Javi. May I ask you something?" she asked. She was a tall, smart, and athletic person who Javi barely spoke too. Mao had this aura of being rather bossy. 

"Sure," Javi said. 

"Do you know how Yuzuru is? Like, do you know if he's sick or...?" Mao asked. 

Javi raised a teasing eyebrow at her. "Why don't you find that out yourself? You're the one who likes him," he teased. Mao turned red and defiant. "I do not!" she cried out. 

"You're a horrible liar," Javi replied. "But in answer to your question, I don't know how Yuzuru is. We're not good friends."

"Okay, but can you please find out how he is? Ms. Yamata told me to find someone to check on Yuzuru," she said, referring to their homeroom teacher. "Also, he has some homework he's due to do, so you'll have to give that to him."

"Me? Why me?" Javi had to ask. Mao shrugged. "You're friendly with everyone, right? So Yuzu shouldn't be a hard case. Go on and do it for me, please?"

Javi crossed his arms across his chest. A part of him wanted to give the task away, but another part was secretly happy that this was an excuse to talk to Yuzu. "What's in it for me?"

"I'll give you half of my food for the next two weeks!" Mao said. Javi's face lit up; Mao was popular for having special lunches, such as steaks and kinds of pasta that would often cost a lot of money. And recently, the cook at Mao's house had taken up Spanish culinary. 

"You've got a deal!" Javi replied. 

 

Javi was feeling pretty good about himself as he tried to locate Yuzu's house, his bag full of papers and homeworks. He was feeling rather excited as he thought of the food he was offered and, deep down in his heart, he was excited with the prospect of being in Yuzu's home. The thought of it made the hairs on his arms rise and made his heart race, but Javi was oblivious to the true reasons for his excitement. 

He finally reached Yuzu's house and rang the doorbell. No answer. He rang again, but there was no reply. "Maybe there's no one home?" he said to himself. He looked at the gate and found that it was open. Javi paused for a moment, until he cautiously opened the door and entered the lot. 

He knocked on the door, but no one opened it. But Javi could hear certain noises from behind the door. And when he heard what sounded like a baby's cry, his curiosity rose. 

"I'm coming in!" he announced, as he opened the door. 

What he saw was nothing like he expected. 

Shoma was on the table, throwing a tantrum. His red and white shirt was a mess, and there seemed to be rice on the floor and surrounding Shoma. He kicked his legs and wailed, and before him looking quite tired and exasperated was Yuzu, in black pants, a now messy shirt and a pink apron. 

"Come on, Shoma, please eat your lunch! Please!" Yuzu was crying out. Javi was surprised. Was that baby Yuzu's brother? Wasn't he an only child? It also seemed as if there were no parents around. Whose kid was this?

Yuzu tried to feed Shoma again, making airplane noises as he carried a spoon of what looked like meat and rice to Shoma's mouth. Shoma wailed and slapped the spoon away. "Oh my god!" Yuzu cried out. He looked around, and saw Javi standing by the doorway. 

His eyes widened, and his breath seemed to be caught in his throat. "Javi?" he said. Shoma turned to look at the doorway, and his cries stopped. 

Javi tried to find something to say. "I'm really sorry if I'm bothering something," he said. Yuzu turned to Shoma, surprised. "You...you made him stop crying!" he exclaimed. He picked Shoma up and walked over to Javi. With his eyes wide and a hopeful smile on his face, Yuzu looked right into Javi's eyes and said:

"Will you take care of Shoma with me?"

Javi blinked. "S-Shoma?"

"This boy right here," Yuzu said, glancing at Shoma. The little boy had a thumb to his mouth, staring at Javi. "He's not my son, by the way, but I'm taking care of him. I found him in an allyway two days ago. Will you, please? No one can know about this."

"So, this is why you've been gone for the past days? You were taking care of him," Javi said. 

Yuzu nodded. "Yes. I couldn't leave him alone."

"But what about the next days? The teachers are asking how you are. I actually came here to give your homework and check on you."

A worried look filled Yuzu's face. "Javi, please don't let anyone know about this! If they find out they'd think I'm a teenage dad for sure! And worst of all, they'd take Shoma away!"

Javi looked at the little boy. Shoma stared at him with his wide eyes. And then, the little boy pointed at him, and said:

"Papa!"

A short silence filled the room, and Javi and Yuzu found themselves turning a bright red. "Ahh! No, don't listen to him, he's just saying silly things!" Yuzu tried to cover up. 

"If I'm papa to him," Javi began, "then you are..."

Yuzu looked down shyly. He felt so embarrassed. "He calls me mama," he replied in a small voice. 

"Papa!" Shoma repeated, happily this time. 

"He really thinks I'm his papa, doesn't he?" Javi said, smiling. He then took Shoma from Yuzu's arms--to the latter's surprise--and bounced him up and down. Shoma gave a squeal of joy, his hunger momentarily forgotten. 

"Well, a papa can't leave his kid alone, right? I'll help you," Javi said, smiling at Yuzu. A big smile graced Yuzu's face, and his eyes seemed to sparkle. "Really? Oh, thank you! I haven't taken care of myself for days now!" he exclaimed excitedly. 

"As long as you'll be the mama, ok?" Javi added almost teasingly. Yuzu found himself blushing again, to his surprise and horror. "F-fine!" he replied, looking away, a smile trying to coat his lips.


	3. Mommy, Daddy, and Baby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Javi wholeheartedly decides to help Yuzu, and Yuzu begins to have 'questionable' feelings.

That night Javi stayed in Yuzu's house until Shoma fell asleep. Javi cooked for Shoma and Yuzu, and for the first time in two days Yuzu finally tasted home cooked meals again. Javi gave Shoma a bath and even sang him a song in Spanish until he fell asleep. Javi even searched in the attic of the house and found a small mattress and blankets. He cleaned the mattress up and there Shoma slept. Javi promised to look for a crib in his house even as Yuzu tried to persuade him not to. 

Javi would have stayed the whole night if Yuzu had not protested against it. 

"Don't your parents care where you are? And plus, what would they think if they found out that you stayed the night with another guy in an empty house?" Yuzu protested. After saying so he realized what his words came off as and found himself starting to blush, but Javi ignored it. 

"Why would they care? We're just classmates anyway. It's like a sleepover," Javi said. 

"Yeah, but without any parents around? And with the mommy and daddy act going on?" Yuzu continued. 

Yuzu would never admit it, but deep inside he wanted Javi to stay the night. Maybe not exactly wanting him to sleep next to him, but Yuzu really liked Javi's company. As Yuzu watched Javi clean Shoma up and sing him lullabies, he felt as if his mind disassociated with his body. "I can't believe it," he often found himself thinking. "I've been snobbing this guy for months, and now I'm beside myself with joy for having him here in my house!"

If Yuzu listened to his heart more often than his brain, he would have let Javi stay. But Yuzu was too embarrassed and shy to let Javi know that.

Javi gave a small sigh and chuckled. "Alright, alright. I get your point. I'm not staying over, but I still want to hear updates on Shoma. If you need me, give me a call."

"Yeah, okay," Yuzu said haughtily, his heart suddenly pounding fast. He looked away from Javi and had his arms crossed against his chest, trying to look like he didn't care. Javi gave him a small smile, before he turned away. "Goodnight, Yuzu!" he greeted. He turned back one last time and gave a teasing grin. "Or should I say, Mommy Yuzu?"

Yuzu blushed even harder. "Oh, shut up!" he hotly replied. Javi laughed in a way that both annoyed and pleased Yuzu before he left the house. 

 

That night, Yuzu could not get to sleep. He kept standing up and checking over Shoma, who slept soundly. He kept pacing around and tossing and turning. His mind would not keep quiet. The day's events kept repeating in Yuzu's head like a broken record, and whenever he remembered Javi chopping up vegetables for the soup they had for dinner, or how Javi played around with Shoma's hair as he bathed him, or how Javi's voice was as he sang, Yuzu would find himself smiling until he realized what he was doing and forced himself to stop it. 

This was not the first time Yuzu had been restless over someone. He knew what these actions meant. The fact that he knew where this all pointed to disturbed him so much he could have just screamed if he did not remember that Shoma was asleep. 

He sat up on his bed, the night lamp the only light in the house. His hair was messy and his bed was even more messy. Yuzu took a deep breath. "You're just really grateful for his help that you're mistaking it for something else, that's all" he assured himself. "Anyone would be really happy to get some help. He's a nice guy, that's all there is to it."

But it still bothered him. He expected these reassurances to lighten the load on his chest, but the load was still there. It felt heavy and warm and he could not get it away. 

Suddenly, the screen of his phone illuminated and his ringtone began to play. Yuzu checked who was calling. 

It was Javi. 

The load on his chest dug in deep so suddenly that Yuzu almost doubled over on his bed. His hands began to sweat and his mind was running. He could not control his body for a second. With a shaking hand and the load on his chest grabbing at his heart, he picked up the phone. 

"Hey, Javi" he said as calmly as he could. "Why did you call?"

"Hey, Yuzu. I was just wondering how Shoma was," Javi said. Yuzu heard the sound of ruffling sheets and realized that Javi was in bed too. A sudden mental image of Javi in a tank top (or shirtless!) shot through Yuzu's mind and he furiously started to blush, to his secret horror. 

Yuzu shook his head and glanced over at Shoma. The boy was still before, but now he was moving a bit, his little hands starting to clench and unclench. 

"Uh oh, I think I woke him up," Yuzu replied. Indeed, Shoma groggily opened his eyes. Realizing it was still dark out, he began to cry. 

"Oh no," Yuzu heard Javi say, but he could not reply. Yuzu dropped the phone on his bed and rushed to grab Shoma. He picked him up in his arms and tried to bounce him slightly. "There, there, Shoma. No need to cry," Yuzu began to say, but Shoma did not hear him. He was red in the face and his cries were getting louder. 

Yuzu grabbed the phone. "Javi, what do I do?" Yuzu asked him. 

"What did you do whenever he cried?" Javi asked. 

"I'd give him some milk, and usually he'd fall right asleep," Yuzu replied. 

Yuzu heard Javi click his tongue. "No, there's no need to do that! He's not hungry, he just needs to get lulled back to sleep. Have you tried singing to him?"

Yuzu shook his head. "I can't sing to save my life, Javi. And his cries are getting louder now!"

"Yeah, I hear it. Can you bring the phone near Shoma's ear, please?" Javi requested. 

"Well...alright," Yuzu eventually consented. He put the phone a few inches away from Shoma's left ear. 

"Hello, Shoma! Remember me?" Javi greeted after a few seconds. His voice was so loud Yuzu heard it clearly. 

At the sound of Javi's voice, Shoma immediately stopped crying. Yuzu was amazed once again. 

"It's papa!" Shoma cried out excitedly, and the load that weakened on Yuzu's chest strengthened. 

"Yes, Shoma, it's papa! And papa is a bit tired, and wants to sleep! Do you want to sleep?" Javi continued on in his best nursery teacher voice. 

"Hmm, maybe" Shoma said. The fact that Shoma spoke more after Javi's visit amazed Yuzu. Shoma was often quiet and spoke little, and Yuzu often thought he was less than a year old since the only word Shoma always said was "mama"; but now he was speaking more, and was even quite articulate. 

"Something loud!" Shoma continued. "Cannot sleep!"

"Something loud woke papa up too, but it's very late now and we should sleep, okay? Are you feeling sleepy, Shoma?" 

Shoma thought for a while, pursing his lips. And then he nodded. "Little!" he said. 

"And mommy wants to sleep too! Right, mommy?" Javi suddenly added. Yuzu blushed again. "Oh my god, Javi!" Yuzu replied through gritted teeth. 

Shoma looked at Yuzu. "Mama sleepy?" he asked. 

Yuzu was more wide awake than ever, but he decided to play along. "Yes, Shoma, mommy is sleepy," he replied, trying to imitate the gentle tone in Javi's voice. 

"Okay, baby sleep" Shoma said. "Papa sleep too, okay?"

"Yes, Shoma. Papa and mommy will sleep if you sleep," Javi encouraged him. 

Shoma looked at Yuzu again. "Baby sleep now!" he exclaimed. 

Yuzu put the phone down and went to the mattress. He gently lay Shoma down at put the blankets over him. In seconds, Shoma was asleep. 

Yuzu sat down on his bed and put the phone to his ear. "How in the world did you do that so easily?" 

"I like playing with kids, simple as that," Javi replied. "All you have to do is be firm but playful with them, anyway. I'm sure it won't be hard for you as soon as you get used to taking care of Shoma."

"It's like you should be more of the mommy than me," Yuzu added, chuckling a bit. 

"I can't seem to change his mind now, I'm officially papa to him. And to him you're mommy, so I guess we'll just have to go with that," Javi laughed. 

Yuzu felt warm and fuzzy inside again, but this time he did not feel too bad or concerned about it. Emotions aside, he liked hearing Javi's voice. That day was the first time they've talked for hours, and yet Yuzu felt comfortable with him more now. 

"But really, Javi, I honestly don't know how long I'll be able to take care of Shoma. What about school? What will you tell the class tomorrow?" Yuzu asked. 

"Oh, don't worry about what they'll say. I have an idea on how we'll handle Shoma being taken care of while you go to school," Javi said. 

'We?', Yuzu wanted to ask. But he decided to let it go for now. "What is it?"

"What if tomorrow before school I come over, pick Shoma up, and then we go to my house and let my nanny take care of him?"

Yuzu shook his head. "Javi, that sounds pretty terrible."

"No, wait hear me out! I'll come over really early, maybe by four or five thirty. You should already wear your school uniform. I'll come over and pick you and Shoma up. We go to my house and let my nanny take care of him until school ends. We immediately go to my house and you bring Shoma home!" Javi finished, sounding rather proud of himself. 

"I really don't know how that'll work. And how did you convince your nanny to take care of Shoma?" Yuzu poked on. 

"She doesn't know yet. But hey, she's a sweet elderly lady who loves kids so I'm sure she'll understand!" Javi replied quickly. 

"Oh, Javi, this all sounds like a bad idea. But then again, I can't afford to miss another day of school..." Yuzu continued on. Javi's plan seemed too far out, and with way too much explaining to do for it to work. But he knew he could not stay at home forever. 

"Exactly. That's why we have to try this out. Don't worry about a thing, Yuzu. I've got this."

"You've got this? You?" Yuzu lifted an eyebrow. 

"My bad, I mean WE. We've got this. Let's take care of Shoma together, okay?"

Yuzu sighed, as he tried to ignore the strange tightening in his chest. "Alright, you got me. Fine."

"Good." Javi said. Yuzu heard him yawning. "It's getting late, I'm going off in a sec."

"Alright, but Javi, can I ask you one last thing?" Yuzu suddenly found himself asking. 

"Yeah?"

Yuzu paused for a second before going on. "Why are you so nice to me? I mean, I've barely ever spoken to you before today."

Javi was quiet for a while before responding. "Because I care for a classmate, and his adopted kid. And if it means playing the father, then I'll do it. Isn't that just the right thing to do?" 

Yuzu nodded. Secretely, he thought that Javi would say something else, but he was satisfied with his response. "Okay. I really can't thank you enough, Javi. I'll make it up to you."

"Let's talk about it more tomorrow. Goodnight, mama Yuzu. Papa Javi, signing off," Javi said. And before Yuzu could say anything else, he hung up. 

"This guy, really!" Yuzu exclaimed. But he went to bed anyway, with a smile on his face and the load on his chest making him feel warm all over.


	4. The Power of the word "We"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Happy holidays! Thank you for enjoying this fic so far, I enjoyed writing it as well! I will be out of town for the next two weeks, and the weeks after that will be busy as I enter the final term of senior year. And so this will be the last for a while, but don't worry, there's a lot more to come! Once again thank you, and enjoy!

Fog still hung over the town as Javi rode in the backseat of one of his parents' cars towards Yuzu's house. There were dark circles under his eyes as he barely slept that night due to the excitement of the past night's events, but the smile he had on his face made that small detail almost invisible. Javi's mind kept coming back to taking care of Shoma and the feeling he felt as he heard Yuzu laugh for the first time; and how the hairs on his arm stood up and he almost faltered as he heard that sound. As Javi remembered how big Yuzu's smile was, he began to smile as well. His chauffeur glanced at his master's smile from the rear-view mirror, but decided not to ask about it. 

When the car stopped in front of Yuzu's house, it was exactly five thirty in the morning. Javi found the gate open again and he entered the house with ease. He looked around, expecting Yuzu and Shoma to be in the dining room, but there was no one there. The house was still and quiet. 

Javi went up the stairs two steps at a time, while also trying to be as quiet as possible. He opened the door of Yuzu's room and found that they were still asleep. 

When he saw Yuzu, he almost laughed. The last time he saw his bed, the covers were properly folded and the pillows were at the head of the bed; now, a pillow was on the floor, the bedsheets were ruffled, the blankets were piled up and wrinkly, and in the center of it all lay Yuzu, his hair a mess, his mouth slightly open and his shirt raised up until the abdomen. 

Javi had to hold a hand over his mouth so he would not laugh. He tiptoed over towards Yuzu and glanced down at him. No one would expect that the class genius would be such a messy sleeper. He lay on his back, and though his surroundings were messy, Javi couldn't help but notice how nice he looked as the dawning light from the rising sun seeped through the blinds on the windows across him. His face was incredibely clear and smooth, and his dark hair made an amazing contrast against his light skin. 

Javi knew that he had to wake Yuzu up, but for some reason, he could not move. He could not stop gazing at the sleeping figure of Yuzu. In the back of his mind he knew that what he was doing was creepy and stalker-ish, and that he should stop as he was wasting time. But as much as that part of him tried to make him raise his hand to shake Yuzu awake, Javi could only hear the beating of his heart that echoed in his ears; and the beat grew faster and louder with every second he spent gazing at Yuzu. 

After a few seconds, he blinked hard and forced himself to focus. He took a deep breath and blinked a few times. When his eyes fell upon Yuzu once again, he willed himself not to stare again. He raised a hand towards Yuzu's shoulder, but as he neared touching his skin he almost faltered again. The pounding of his heart made his whole body shake. It was almost three degrees at that moment, but Javi could feel a bead of sweat run down the side of his face. 

Javi swallowed hard, and forced himself to think about the plan for the day, and the chauffeur waiting for them outside. He held on to Yuzu's shoulder and gave it a light shake. 

"Yuzu, wake up!" Javi called to him in a gentle voice. Yuzu gave a small groan, and his eyes blinked open to see Javi looking right down at him, their faces some inches apart. 

If it was hard for Javi, it was much harder for Yuzu. Upon seeing how close Javi was, and the slightly teasing smile he had on his face, Yuzu turned completely red. He was so close to screaming if he did not just take a sharp gasp in surprise. If he could, he would have pushed Javi's face away, but his arms and hands felt numb for those first few seconds. 

"Ha...vi..." was all he managed to mutter out. Javi's smile grew. "Yeah, good morning, Yuzu. Are you ready to go back to school today?" Javi asked. 

Yuzu still felt slightly dizzy from the sudden burst of speed in his heart, but he remembered the plan and nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready. Let's do it."

 

There was a strange, awkward feeling in the air as the car took them to Javi's house. Shoma, still sleepy and a bit full from the milk Yuzu gave him earlier, was sleeping contentedly in Yuzu's arms. Yuzu and Javi sat next to each other, their elbows slightly brushing once in a while. 

Javi's mind was scouring for topics to talk about, but nothing seemed interesting enough. Yuzu's mind still kept coming back to last night's events and how close they were that morning, so that he felt to embarrassed and flustered to speak. About five minutes into the drive, Javi tried to talk to Yuzu. At that same time, Yuzu wanted to thank Javi. They turned to each other. 

"The weather is--" 

"Javi, I--"

Their words mumbled up as they were said in unison, and both turned different shades of red. They quickly turned away, Javi looking out the window and Yuzu looking the other way out. 

'What is happening?' Javi kept thinking to himself, his hands turning to fists on his lap. 'We were so comfortable with one another last night. But how come we can't speak a word to one another now?'

Yuzu also felt frustrated and confused. 'Why is he acting so strangely? And why am I acting so strangely towards him? Oh, how I wish his house is near already!' he thought to himself. 

Just then Shoma seemed to curl up towards himself and scrunched up his eyes. Both looked towards the little boy in concern. 

"What's wrong, Shoma?" Yuzu asked.

Javi observed Shoma. "He's just a little uncomfortable, and a little cranky from the ride. Don't worry, we're nearing my house now," he assured Yuzu. He paused for a moment before continuing. "Would you like me to carry him?"

'No! Say no!' Yuzu's mind commanded him to do. 

"Okay, go ahead" was what came out instead. 

Yuzu then handed Shoma to Javi, and their hands brushed against each other. Yuzu bit his lip and looked away slightly, letting go of the boy as soon as Javi had him in his arms. 

 

"Won't your parents ask about this?" Yuzu asked him as the car stopped in front of Javi's house. It was a large, three story family house made in Spanish style, with walls that were made of red bricks and even a spacious lawn was present. 

"My parents have already left," Javi said nonchalantly as they walked towards the door. Yuzu glanced at Javi, and noticed the slightly sad tone in his voice as he said those words, and how the smile he had on his face seemed to shake a bit. "And besides, they will never know about this. Until we get a better plan for taking care of Shoma while we're out at school, my nanny will never speak a word on this issue. I swear by it."

When Javi opened the wooden double doors, Yuzu almost lost his breath at the sight before him. He knew that Javi was rich, but he never thought that his house would have two stairs that intersected at the upper end, a large shimmering chandelier above them, and open arcs in the place of doors at either sides of them, leading to differently themed living rooms, one even leading to a spacious library. 

"Javi, are you some sort of prince to live in such luxury?!" Yuzu exclaimed, his eyes wide open in amazement. 

"Ha! I wish. No, I guess I was just lucky," Javi replied jokingly, as he savored the feeling he felt as he saw the pure amazement in Yuzu's face for a few seconds. Then, he looked away, and focused on the plan. 

"Okay, follow me! My nanny is in the kitchen. The maids and butlers are not yet here, but they will be soon so we better hurry," Javi said, as he began to leave Yuzu standing underneath the chandelier. 

Yuzu looked away from the marvels before his eyes and quickened his pace to catch up. "Won't they see Shoma?" he asked. 

Javi shook his head as they passed through more rooms. "They never bother my nanny, nor do they enter that kitchen. My nanny just brings up food in a pulley, so they never need to go there personally," he explained. 

They seemed to have gone through fifty-so rooms before Javi stopped. They stood at the doorway of a purely white kitchen that began to smell of cooking rice and chicken breading. Nearby, an elderly woman stood with her back facing them, wearing a grey uniform and a white apron. 

"Ah, mi niñera!" Javi greeted enthusiastically, calling his nanny by the spanish translation. His nanny turned to look at him, and an identical smile filled her face. Her smile was so infectious that Yuzu found himself smiling as well. 

"Javi! Good morning to you too!" she replied in fluent Japanese, walking towards him with open arms. But when she saw Shoma in his arms and Yuzu awkwardly standing behind Javi, she paused and her smile was now more surprised than happy. 

"Is this the little boy you told me about? And your friend who takes care of him?" she asked. Javi nodded. "Yes! He's a bit restless now, though."

She clasped her hands together and brought it clsoe to her heart. "Oh, he looks like an angel! Of course, I will take care of him well," she nodded to them. 

"Thank you!" Yuzu piped up, bowing to her. The kind woman laughed and took Shoma from Javi's arms. She held Shoma close and gently ran her fingers through his hair. Shoma quickly warmed up to her and gave her a small smile. 

"He is absolutely beautiful!" she added. Yuzu and Javi felt so grateful at that moment that it slightly hurt them to smile. She looked at both of them, her eyes bright. "You know, I truly admire both of you. You both still continue to care for this little boy even when society would look down upon it. I support your cause!" she grinned at them knowingly. 

For what felt like the nth time that day, they both blushed. "Um, it's not exactly like that--" Yuzu began, but Javi suddenly reached out towards him and held him by his elbow, causing him to stop midway through. 

"Thank you so much, we really appreciate it! It will be hard but I'm sure with your help we can manage. Right, Yuzu?" Javi replied, turning to Yuzu. Yuzu got the message and nodded enthusiastically. "Y-yes, we'll be able to manage. Together."

"Yeah," Javi laughed. His hand drifted down from Yuzu's elbow and suddenly he was holding on to Yuzu's hand before Yuzu could do anything. 

"We'll be able to do it together," Javi repeated, as Yuzu could only stare at him in surprise. 

Javi's nanny smiled at them sweetly. "I'm so proud of you, Javi. Now, before leaving, would you like some breakfast?" she asked. 

"Oh no, we couldn't--" Yuzu began. 

"We'd love to have breakfast!" Javi finished. He followed his nanny towards the kitchen counter, his hand pausing for one second before letting go. 

 

They arrived at school just in time and both rushed into their classrooms together. When Mao saw Yuzu enter the room, she immediately felt excited; but when she saw Javi rushing after him, and the glance that Yuzu gave Javi before the homeroom bell rang caused a strange chill to run up her spine. 

Yuzu tried hardest to focus, but his mind was divided. A part of it thought of Shoma, and he wondered how he was and how Shoma would manage without him around; and the other kept feeling this strange feeling that someone was staring at him throughout class, and whenever he thought of this, the first thing he would think next was that it would be great if that stare belonged to Javi. After thinking that thought Yuzu would cringe slightly and shake his head to focus back to his studies, but he would think of Shoma again and the cycle continued. 

While Javi did gaze at Yuzu a couple of times, it was really Mao who stared at Yuzu the most. As class president she was not one to daze off during class, but this time was an exception. Yuzu looked strangely different that day; she could feel that there was a new, strange aura around him. He seemed restless, and he kept looking around him. And it was also obvious that he was not listening to the lesson as he was not taking down notes while everyone else was. And when the teacher called on him, he stuttered out his answer. Mao was not personally close with Yuzu (though she wished they were) but she could tell something was off with him today. 

And what was with him and Javi? Mao is not one to listen to her 'woman's intuition', but the thought that something happened between them in the past 24 hours made her feel cold suddenly. And the fact that they arrived together made her more suspicious. 

 

Finally lunch time came around. At that time Yuzu and Javi were in different classes, so Yuzu was rather grateful that he would not have to go through the awkward situation of wondering whether Javi wanted to eat lunch with him. Yuzu was walking towards the cafeteria when he noticed that a lot of students were rushing to look out the windows towards the school gates. They were all mumbling and glancing at each other. Curious, Yuzu looked for an open spot and looked outside. 

He nearly doubled over in surprise. "Javi's nanny?!" he exclaimed, causing people to turn to him. 

Indeed, Javi's nanny stood outside by the school gates, with Shoma in her arms. The boy was crying, and his cries were getting louder. Yuzu turned to look at his right, and was even more surprised to see that Javi was also looking at his nanny. Javi looked at him, and his eyes showed nothing but concern. They looked at each other for a few seconds, before leaving the crowd and rushing down the stairs. The crowd that was previously watching turned towards one another, and all simultaneously agreed to run after them and watch what happens next. 

Yuzu and Javi ran towards the nanny, and stopped a few feet away from her. 

"Nanny, what's wrong? Why is Shoma crying?" Javi asked her, slightly out of breath. 

His nanny, who previously looked joyful and happy, was now looking rather tired and worn out. "A few minutes after you left, he kept asking for his mommy and daddy! I've tried everything to calm him down but he won't stop crying! Unfortunately, the maids and others heard..."

Fear was creeping up Javi's back. "Will they..."

"They found me with Shoma. Javi, they've called your parents. Luckily at that time both were busy, but the call will come through," she finished, almost shouting above Shoma's cries. 

"Oh no," Yuzu whispered, his chest starting to feel heavy. Javi felt frozen on the spot.

Suddenly, the crowd of students (who had been whispering and speculating amongst each other) was divided as one of the supervising teachers came through. He was a stuffy middle aged man in a tacky brown suit, with graying hair and a bad temper. 

"What is going on here, students and, er, miss?" he asked them. Before Javi or Yuzu could reply, the good-meaning woman spoke up. 

"This little baby is crying for his mommy and daddy, sir, and so I am here to give the baby to them," she answered simply. 

The whole crowd, Yuzu and Javi included, gasped. The teacher was taken aback, but cleared his throat rather awkwardly and tried to continue being professional. "And may I ask, who are the...parents of this baby?"

"Why, sir, they are right before me!" she replied. 

A sudden silence swept over the crowd. It was so quiet it was almost as if everyone had held their breath. 

And then, a resounding exclamation of shock and confusion echoed throughout the crowd. Mao, who was in the crowd, felt as if the ground beneath her had disapeared. "No," she muttered to herself blindly. "No, this cannot be happening..."

The teacher struggled to find his bearings, and when he did he immediately turned to Yuzu and Javi. "Is it true?" he asked them. "Answer me quickly and truthfully!"

Yuzu looked at Javi, and Javi looked at Yuzu. Yuzu could not think of any way the situation could worsen. First Javi's parents would know about the plan, and now the whole school thinks they have a kid. He tried to convey his fear to Javi, but the look in Javi's eyes surprised him. He could not see fear, nor did he see shock in those eyes that he realized only then were probably the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen in his whole life. He only saw determination, and it scared him. 

Javi gave him a reassuring smile, and wrapped his arm around Yuzu's waist, pulling Yuzu towards him. He then turned to the teacher and said in a most confident voice:

"Yes, sir. We are his parents."


	5. Chances of Rain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Sorry for the long hiatus, school has been really hectic. But anyway, I have time to write today, and so here it is! Enjoy!

When Yuzu would try to remember those moments years later, it would seem like a blur. 

The moment Javi said those words, everything seemed to be chaotic. The teacher turned pale and looked about to faint as he stared dumbfounded at the two of them, Javi's arm around Yuzu's waist like a protective boyfriend. The whole school screamed and gossiping voices spread throughout the crowd like wildfire. Even Javi's well-meaning nanny looked shocked, and Shoma stopped crying momentarily, surprised as he was with the sounds around him. 

And then, time seemed to go at ten times the normal speed. Everyone was sent back to their classrooms, and Javi and Yuzu were ordered to go to the Principal's Office, Javi's nanny trailing behind them. As they walked side by side, Javi's hand found Yuzu's, and he intertwined his fingers with Yuzu's own. Yuzu looked up at him, unable to hide to fear he felt for what they would experience next. But Javi only gave him a reassuring smile, and for a moment the weight on Yuzu's chest seemed lighter. 

"I'm so sorry, Yuzu and Javi, I truly am," Javi's nanny kept repeating, shaking her head sadly. "I really hope the principal will understand."

"It's alright, nanny," Javi simply replied, and there was a nonchalant air in his voice, like what he had said moments ago was nothing of big importance. When Yuzu thought this, a sudden feeling of sadness filled his heart. Was Javi just trying to act cheerful in this situation to hide his emotions? Or were his words earlier just a way to quickly get out of the situation? he thought miserably. 

Obviously, they could never be Shoma's parents, but even during their short time as a team Yuzu could not help but feel that they acted like parents. Yuzu always knew that Javi was a kind-hearted person who would drop everything he was doing to help someone out, but the fact that Javi took this much responsibility and risked this much just to lighten Yuzu's load made Yuzu feel incredibly warm and fuzzy inside. He glanced at Javi now, and saw that that calm, slightly goofy smile still remained on his face. Only at that moment did Yuzu realize how much he loved that smile. 

They reached the principal's office in a few minutes. As they neared the door Yuzu saw two unfamiliar figures inside the room, talking to the principal. When Javi saw those two figures, he suddenly stopped in his tracks, and his grip on Yuzu's hand tightened. 

"My parents are in there," he said, and this time there was fear in his voice. 

"What are we going to say, Javi?" Yuzu asked him. 

Javi looked at him, and their eyes locked. The nonchalance and calmness in Javi's face was now replaced with sadness and anxiety, something that Yuzu had never seen emulating from Javi's eyes. Javi sighed, and to Yuzu's surprise, pulled him close and made him rest his head against his chest. Yuzu dared not move as he heard the steady beat of Javi's heart, his own almost deafening in his ears. 

"I should have told you, I'm so stupid..." Javi said in a low voice. Yuzu looked up at him. "W-what?" he replied. 

Javi turned away and let Yuzu go. He looked towards the office door and took a deep breath. His fingers brushed Yuzu's own until he began to walk away to his fate. 

 

When Yuzu and Javi entered, Javi's father immediately stood up, and there was a fiery look in his eyes. He exclaimed something loudly in Spanish, and Javi looked down at his shoes, his hands turning to fists. Yuzu desperately looked around for a way to translate what was just said. He quickly turned to Javi's nanny, stepping as far away as he can from Javi's father. "What did he just say?" he asked. The nanny shook her head sadly. "Something a father should never call his son," she vaguely replied. A lump grew in Yuzu's throat, making it hard for him to breathe. 

"What is this baby? Who is the mother?" Javi's father prodded on, now in Japanese. He looked almost about to punch the living daylights out of Javi. Javi's mother quickly stood up and placed a hand on her husband's arm. "Honey, we don't want to cause a bigger scene. Please, try to calm down," she coaxed him in a gentle voice. Javi's father looked away, breathing heavily. Javi's mother turned to look at both Javi and Yuzu. 

"Tell me honestly, who is the mother of this child?" she asked them. Yuzu took a deep breath and stepped forward. "We do not know her personally, ma'am," he replied, hoping to the heavens that his voice won't crack due to the nerve-wracking fear he felt. "I only found him in an alley some time ago. We have been taking care of him since."

"Then why in the world would you drag my son into this?! Could you not have taken care of him on your own?" Javi's mother pushed on, all gentleness gone in her voice. 

Yuzu looked away, tears welling in his eyes. His palms suddenly hurt; he realized that he had been digging his nails into his skin for so long. "I-I've tried..." he replied meekly. 

"It was my wholehearted decision to help him, Mama" Javi spoke up. "Yes, he did ask me to help, but the option of saying 'no' to a situation like his is against all my morals. I hope you understand that."

"There you go with your stupid morals again!" Javi's father suddenly exploded. Javi instinctively stepped back, and Yuzu's heart had nearly skipped a beat with surprise. "We have told you countless times that you always have the option to say no! But now here you are, completely destroying our family's honor with this...scandal!" he spat the last word out, gesturing at both Javi and Yuzu. 

"Why does everything have to be about family honor?! Why can't I ever do something for myself?" Javi retorted back, his voice slightly raised. 

"It matters the most now, especially if the Perez family hears about this! How will they ever allow you to marry Sophia if they hear about this issue?" Javi's mother fretted. 

For a second, it felt like the whole world came to a stop. All the oxygen around Yuzu seemed to have completely disappeared. His legs shook and a cold chill filled his body. Javi quickly glanced at Yuzu, and they locked eyes again. 

It was there that Yuzu knew what Javi never got to tell him. 

"Yuzu, I..." Javi tried to talk, but for the first time he was out of words. 

"Yes, Mr. Hanyu. My son is already engaged. He has been betrothed to a wealthy Spanish girl since infancy!" Javi's mother bragged. "If Javi marries her, our familial ties will forever be cemented in our favor! And if someone of their family hears this, the wedding may as well be called off!"

"But we will NEVER let that happen!" Javi's father continued on in the same fiery tone. "And so, Javi, you will leave this school at once. No questions asked. You will forget about Mr. Hanyu and you will forget about this whole ordeal. We are moving back to Spain in two weeks. Do you understand?"

Yuzu wanted to scream. He wanted to cry and tear his eyes out and walk out of the room. All of the bottled-up emotions that he felt was driving him crazy. 

But most of all, he wanted Javi to stay. 

"Javi, please! Don't go!" he wanted to cry out. Instead, he could only fearfully watch Javi's reaction to the news. 

Javi gulped hard, and blinked twice. He took a deep breath and nodded. "Understood, father."

Yuzu could only stare at him in shock. 

 

The world seemed to be crying with Yuzu as the day ended. Earlier that day, Shoma was asleep and comfortable in the arms of Javi's nanny. Now, he was back in Yuzu's arms, oblivious to what happened. Yuzu did not feel like walking home that day. In fact, he didn't feel like doing anything at all. He limply held Shoma in his arms as he rested his head against the windowpane of a taxi. The raindrops fell in neat lines on the glass, and the only sound was the radio and the continuous splatter of rain.

It surprised Yuzu that he could not even cry. He just felt...numb. 

"There is a 60% chance of rain for the next two weeks as a gale storm warning is coming into the region..." the reporter was saying. Yuzu glanced at the radio. Two weeks. 

In two weeks, Javi would be gone. 

 

"We only have one last question for you two," Javi's mother said to them. "Javi, what is your relationship to Mr. Hanyu?" 

Yuzu's heart which felt completely broken suddenly raced. His palms began to sweat and his heartbeat grew louder and louder. 

"He is my friend, mama. That is all," Javi had said. 

And once again, Yuzu's world stopped turning.


	6. A Last Gift and a Phone Call

The silence and darkness of the house nearly suffocated him. 

Yuzu closed the door behind him and saw his house for how it truly was now: dark, cold, and empty. He was reminded of how this moment echoed the first time he came home with Shoma in his arms, completely not knowing how to take care of him. Now, it was almost the same situation, except there was a pain in his heart and a numbness in his legs that would not let him go. 

Yuzu found himself slowly sinking to the floor, his back sliding down the front door. He absentmindedly put Shoma down next to him, then brought his knees to his chest. His mind felt completely blank, and the only sound to be heard was the wind and rain. 

The pain was like a dull knife slowly entering his chest. He wanted to cry or even punch a wall, just to let all the pain out. But his eyes were dry and his fingers felt cold. But slowly, the memories and the events of the day came back to him, like cold water slowly rising up to drown him completely. 

What hurt him most was not really the fact that Javi was engaged, though it did take him by surprise. No, it was what he said last. 

"He is only a friend."

But of course he would think just that, Yuzu bitterly thought to himself. You two have only been taking care of Shoma for less than a week. Of course he would see you as a friend, maybe even just a classmate who needs help! Heck, he even said that himself! So why....why does it hurt?

Yuzu sighed and rested his head against the door. "Why does it hurt?" he said to himself loudly. 

He saw the dinner table, and it was empty and looked larger than usual. He remembered when Javi stayed over to cook dinner, and how the kitchen was alive the sights and smells of homemade soups and other food, and how the dinner table seemed to shrink as they all seemed so close and they all had a good time. Javi told amazing stories of Spain and even made jokes, and Shoma laughed more times than he ever did before. All of the stress Yuzu felt before then was gone, and it was all replaced by the warm, giddy feeling of being with company that he liked. 

Their laughter rang in Yuzu's ears as he stared at the table, until it faded and eventually disappeared with the wind. 

Everything was going too fast, and all wrong. It seemed like years since he rescued Shoma, and even longer since he met Javi. And now one of them would leave, and the other would have to as well when his parents come back. 

Yuzu suddenly felt something tugging his shirt. He looked to his left and saw Shoma staring expectantly at him. "Mama?" he asked in a small voice. 

Yuzu forced a smile, and it ended up adding to the pain he was feeling. "Yeah, Shoma. I'm here," he said in a soft voice. 

Shoma looked around as if he was searching for something. "But..." he asked. "Where's papa?" 

The lump in Yuzu's throat ached him so much he felt like he could not speak. He blinked hard and picked Shoma up. He put him on his lap, facing him. He then looked the little boy straight into his eyes and said the truth. 

"Papa isn't coming back, Shoma," he began, and his voice began to crack. "He's leaving and he can never come here again. I know you will miss him but he will be happy somewhere else...." 

The tears that Yuzu searched for finally came, falling one by one down his cheeks. And yet, even with his whole body shaking and his chest tightening, he still tried to smile. "But we're going to be okay, won't we Shoma? I'm going to take care of you, okay? I promise it, Shoma," he added amidst tears. He tried to open his mouth but found himself gasping for air. He covered his face with a hand. "I...I'm s-sorry, Shoma," he said, trying to laugh it off but finding it almost impossible. The tears just kept coming and now he wanted to scream and cry as loud as he wanted to. But he had to be strong for Shoma, now that Javi was gone. 

Yuzu kept trying to say something but found that all he could emitt were cries and sharp gasps for air. His shoulders shook and eventually he had to bite onto his shirt collar just to stop himself from screaming. As he cried all of the memories of the past days flashed in his mind over and over like a broken record. He could hear Javi's laugh in his ears. He could see his nonchalant smile, reassuring him that everything would be alright. He remembered the feeling of his skin brushing his by accident, and the spark-like rush that ran through his body. He remembered it all, and it made him feel like crying even more. 

And then, he felt a small bit of warmth against his chest. 

Yuzu looked down and saw Shoma laying his head against Yuzu's chest, his little arms around him . "Don't cry, Mama," he said in a soft, gentle voice. 

With shaking hands Yuzu pulled Shoma closer to him and buried his face in his dark hair. The little boy was so warm against him, like a bit of fire on a cold wintry day. The tears stopped momentarily, and they stayed that way for a long while, without saying a word. 

Yuzu remembered how his own head had rested against Javi's chest the same way Shoma's head was now. He could never forget the unique warmth that Javi had. 

"I'm going to take care of you, Shoma," he said quietly as he gently patted Shoma's hair. "But I'm going to find a way to get Papa back."

 

When they woke up, there was a crib in their living room. 

Yuzu had to rub his eyes thrice to know that he was not dreaming. The crib was quite large; it was three feet tall and three feet wide. It was made of a light brown wood, and the quality seemed superb. This must have cost a fortune, Yuzu thought to himself. There even was an incredibly soft blue mattress and pillow included inside the crib. And on the headboard of the crib was the letter S engraved into the wood. 

Yuzu was running his hand over the crib's wooden material when he found a small slip of paper wedged between the crib and the matress. It was yellow paper, like that from a school pad. He opened it and it said:

'I don't know if you can forgive me, but I can only hope that you won't forget me. From, Papa.'

Yuzu felt like he was strongly hit on the chest. He quickly folded the paper and put it inside his pocket. "Javi," he said to himself, looking at the crib. "Javi, where are you now?" 

 

When Javi left Yuzu's house, a feeling like a gravitational pull nearly stopped him from getting past the front gate. He had sneaked out with his chauffeur to deliver the custom made crib he promised for Shoma. He even had to pass by a discount center to buy a matress and a pillow, all before five in the morning. But as much as he wanted to stay in Yuzu's home and be with him as he saw the surprise, he knew with a bitter heart that he had to go. He took one last look at the house before entering the car, and his eyes rested on the window of Yuzu's bedroom. He wondered if he felt sad about him leaving, and if Shoma cared at all. He sighed and entered the car. 

The glass window was freezing cold against his forehead as they left. The rain was still pouring in strange intervals, and everything seemed gray and sullen. Javi felt completely beaten, and often he just wanted to lie down on the bed and not do anything but stare out the window and remember his time with Yuzu. He knew two weeks was still a long time, and maybe in an alternate universe he would not be banned from spending time with Yuzu and Shoma. Instead, they could not even call each other. He missed Shoma a lot, but he missed Yuzu the most. 

His chauffeur kept glancing at him from the rearview mirror. Javi could guess that the depressed air around him could be felt by his chauffeur. After a while, the chauffeur handed Javi a box of tissues. "If you need it, sir," he said curtly and in a slightly embarrassed tone. Javi mustered a grin. "Thanks," he said, hoping his tone of voice wouldn't sound sad. but eventually as he continued to remember the memories, the box of tissues slid from his fingers and landed on the floor of the car, forgotten and unused. 

 

Time could not have gone any slower. Javi's parents sat nearby, anxiously waiting. Javi had told them countless times to leave his bedroom as it would be a private conversation between him and his fiancee, but his parents would not budge. "She said she would call 8 PM, Japan time. It's already 7:58. We better stay here in case you end up calling that Hanyu boy instead!" his mother warned. Javi sighed and stared at his phone. 7:59. 

Suddenly, his phone vibrated. An unknown number flashed on the screen. "Answer it!" his parents almost screamed in unison. "Oh my god, relax! Sheesh!" Javi cried out to them before clicking the 'accept call' button. But in all honesty, his heart was racing. It had been years since he talked to Sophia. 

"Hello?" he said in Spanish. 

"Javiiiiii~~~!!!" an extremely high pitched voice replied back in a loud tone. Javi had to pull his phone away from his ear for a sec. "Sophia, hey. How are you?" he asked. 

"Javi dear, I seriously missed you so much!" Sophia replied back. Javi nearly cringed. Sophia had always been rather clingy. Since they were engaged as infants, they grew up together. They basically had been neighbors for the first five years of their lives, until Sophia's father earned even more money and they moved to a bigger mansion. Even then they had to meet up at least twice a year until they entered junior high school. And when Javi and his family moved to Japan, they did not talk since. 

"I'm sure you heard the news--" Javi began, but Sophia cut him off. "Hey, hey! You didn't say that you missed me! Hmmph, you probably didn't," she said, sounding very much like a jealous five year old. It annoyed Javi more than he expected, but he had to look like he was happy to talk to his dearly beloved fiancee. "Well? did you miss me or not/ I have to hear it!" she demanded. 

Javi sighed. "I missed you, Sophia,' he said in the fakest voice he could muster. He heard her squeal, and he nearly cringed. 

"I'm so glad to hear that! And yes, I heard the news. It made me so happy to hear that you'll be coming back here so soon! We have sooo much to catch up on. You've GOT to tell me about japan and your school there, and I have to tell you all about my life here! It's been so crazy, you wouldn't believe it! I've been telling everyone about you, you know?" 

Javi groaned. "Sophia, why would you tell anyone about me?"

"Because I'm going to marry you, duh!" she replied matter-of-factly. 

"But you know the reason why we're engaged. It's a business deal between our fathers," Javi reminded her. 

"But what if I don't want to see it as a business deal, and I'd rather see it as an actual engagement that we made?!" Sophia replied hotly. 

Javi was taken aback. "I'm sorry, what do you mean by that?'

"N-nevermind!" Sophia suddenly seemed flustered. "But anyway, you HAVE to come back soon. We don't have much time until you turn 18. You know what happens then."

"Yeah," Javi said, nodding his head sadly. "The church bells shall ring."

"And ring they shall, for our wedding would be the wedding of the century, you'd see! Oh, what if my dad invites the King of Spain? They've met before, and I got to see him once! Maybe the Queen could be the godmother of our future child?"

Javi turned red. "Let's not talk about that yet!" he exclaimed. 

Sophia laughed. "Alright, I'll reserve that for the future. Oh, Javi. I really am glad that you're coming back soon. I can't wait to see you again," she said. Now all the childishness in her tone of voice was gone; instead, she sounded actually sincere. 

"I...I can't wait to see you too," Javi echoed back hesitantly. He looked up at his parents, and they were both smiling widely with excitement. 

"Alright. Goodnight, Javi. See you soon, okay? Take care!" Sophia said.

"Okay, bye!" Javi replied back, and was about to hang up when he heard Sophia say,

"I love you!" 

Javi's body froze for a second, and the only thing that came to his mind was: "Wait...what?!" 

"Sophia?" he said, bringing the phone to his ear. But Sophia had already left. 

"We've got it! We're definitely going to have familial ties with the Perezes!" Javi's father excitedly exclaimed. "I am so proud of you, son! You see, this is what happens when you put the honor of the family before yourself!" 

"Yeah, I guess," Javi said sadly. But his parents did not even notice him. They noisily left the room, talking about the next few days of packing for Spain and the future wedding. They closed the door behind them, without even bidding him a goodnight. But then again, they had not done that for the past five years. 

Javi put his phone aside and closed the lights. It was still really early, but he did not want to do anything anymore for the day. He could only stare at the ceiling and remember Yuzu's smile and how he'd look into his eyes, until the lump in his throat tightened too much and rarely seen tears appeared in the corner of his eyes.


End file.
